Match-box holder.



G. G. LYNCH.

MATOE BOX HOLDER.

APPLIoATIoN Hmm APR. 1. 1909.

Afro/mfr 4. Patented 32.11.25, 1910.'

GEORGE c. LYNCH, or NEW Yoan, N. Y.

y MATCH-Box HOLDER.

aaneen.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 1909.

Patented dan, 25, 19rd.

serial No. 487,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. LYNCH, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Box Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive holder for boxes containing safety matches, having special reference to the provision of means for preventing the box being removed from the holder except by destroying it.

It is essential that match holders having the above objects in view be capable of being cheaply manufactured. This requirement has tended to retard the successful exploitation of the various means heretofore devised.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Figure l being an elevation of one form of embodiment and Fig. 2 a perspective view of the combined guiding member and locking device. Fig. 3 shows a slightly modified construction.

Referring to the drawing, l designates a dish which may be made of brass, iron or other material. The central raised portion 2 of the dish constitutes the usual seat or stop for the box cover. Extending vertically through this central portion I have shown a post 3 threaded at its lower end to receive a binding nut 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the post also extends through a boss or collar 5 rest ing upon the central portion 2 of the dish. Between this collar and the head 6 of the postis held the central portion of the combined guiding and locking member A7. This consists preferably of a strip of metal extending approximately parallel with the central seat or stop 2 and having teeth 8 formed in its edges. I have shown the plate 7 in Fig. l curved downwardly and outwardly at its free edges. The toothed edges normally extend well beyond the space occupied by the box cover.

Upon inserting a box it is not necessary to rst remove the match receptacle from its cover or casing. The end of the box is simply placed upon the top 6 of the post and the cover is pushed down. rIhe springlike strip 7 on the rigid post 3 constitutes a guide for the cover, its edges bending to allow the cover to move over them until it is seated upon the central raised portion 2 of the dish, the top t3 of the post forming a seat for the match receptacle. @wing to the soft wood of which safety match boxes are constructed the teeth 8 will, upon exerting the least upward force upon the cover, project into the wood, their spring tension aiding this action, and will prevent removal of the cover or casing. In ordinary use a match ignited by striking it upon the sides of the box may be struck upwardly or downwardly upon the friction surface as the casing is firmly held by the teeth. It is impossible to remove the casing from the holder without destroyingit. I-Ience it is possible to leave matches in public places for the use of patrons while precluding the possibility of the box cover being removed by dishonest persons. rl`he box itself may be removed from the cover and a new package substituted without disturbing the cover.

The slight modification illustrated in Fig. 3 consists merely of dispensing with the boss or collar 5 of Fig. l and making the combined guiding and locking member 9V of substantially U shape and securing it at its central portion to the raised part l0 of the dish. The post l2 may be only long enough to pass through the dish and the member 9. So long as the box is sufficiently elevated above the raised part 10 of the dish to cause the matches to project sufficiently beyond the cover the essential requirement is complied with. It is immaterial how far the teeth are above the raised part or pedestal of the dish since a box cover which has passed only a fraction of an inch over them cannot be withdrawn except by destroying it. Also it is immaterial whether or not the holder is provided with side lips such as are usually found in the more expensive holders to cover the labels and advertising matter on the box cover, since these lips are not essential to a holder embodying my invention. rIhey may of course be used however without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The leading advantage of my invention will be at once apparent. Not only may the locking device be cheaply manufactured but it renders entirely unnecessary the raised block with which match holders, especially the cheap kind made of iron, are provided,

since the locking device, together with the base, effectively supports and holds the box and its cover.

I claim as my invent-ion:-

5 1. A match box holder comprising a base or stop, a vertically disposed post rigidly mounted in said base, and a locking member consisting of a single strip of metal mounted at its center on Said post and adapted to eX- 10 tend transversely through a boX cover seated upon said base, said locking member having teeth at its edges to engage opposite faces of the cover.

2. A match box holder having a base and l5 a locking member above said base consisting of a strip of metal having teeth at its edges, a rigidly mounted post extending vertically through said base and locking member, the top of said post being adapted to constitute a seat or stop for a match box, and said base 20 and locking member adapted to contact with the cover thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE C. LYNCH.

fitnesses r IV. A. TENNEY, GRAFTON L. MCGILL. 

